Anthora Brooch MB x EH LMTD EDITION

By Edible History

We New Yorkers are a hurried people. We walk quickly, we talk quickly. We have places to go, things to do. The cup of coffee, that essential caffeinated beverage, is the fuel that powers the frenetic energy of this city. And it has been a part of Gotham’s story since the very beginning. 

Back in the U.S. a revolutionary spirit swept through 18th century New York establishments like the Exchange Coffee House, The Merchant’s Coffee House and Tontine Coffee House. In these coffee houses plans were made to overthrow the British – and then to nation-build once the war was over. Notions of liberty, equality, and justice were discussed and business was practiced. Before 30 story office tower blocks covered the island of Manhattan, merchants and traders operated out of these coffee houses, sort of like an 18th century co-working space. Deals were made and early forms of stocks were traded. In fact the New York Stock Exchange originated at the Tontine Coffee House in 1792, when traders who regularly met there outlined and agreed to a new set of rules and regulations. And so coffee becomes a part of America’s origin story, deeply embedded in two of our most sacred pillars: patriotism and capitalism. 

Given the anti-British sentiment post Revolutionary War, tea never really stood a chance. Coffee would remain New Yorker’s caffeinated beverage of choice.  As the story of coffee continues to wind its way through the city’s history, we find familiar stories. Tales we know bits and pieces of. 

There were the Delmonicos brothers. Two Swiss immigrants who arrived in New York and opened a European style cafe on William Street in 1827. Of course they quickly outgrew their coffee and pastry origins and went on to open iconic Gilded Age restaurants (an impressive 11 iterations of the Delmonico’s restaurant in total).

There was the fabulously named Buttercake Dick’s, which feels almost like a precursor to the 24 hour diner. It was frequented by newsboys, firemen and clerks who worked strange hours. The food was cheap (3 biscuits for 3 cents!) and the coffee was strong.

Today, the most iconic symbol of coffee and New York City is the Anthora. That classic blue paper coffee cup upon which two Doric columns frame the words, “We are happy to serve you” (or in some cases, “It is our pleasure to serve you"). Drawings of amphora (the terracotta jug of ancient Greece and Rome) adorn either side of the cup and a Greek key design runs along the bottom and top. All of this very Greek imagery was designed by Leslie Buck in 1963 and supposed to appeal to the numerous Greek owners of coffee shops and diners across the city. 

For decades the Anthora was the ubiquitous cup from which New Yorkers sipped their coffee on the go. Coffee carts, delis and just about everywhere else poured hot brews into these disposable containers until production stopped in 2006. Now these cups are harder to find, though their enduring symbolism has made them available in ceramic form at the MoMA design store and various other Big Apple tourist tchotchke shops. 

Read the Full Substack Here

Brooch Details

• Original MackBecks x Edible History Design
• Hand-painted and sculpted in acrylic and resin.
• W 1.25” x H 2”
• Lightweight - 2.0 oz.
• Jewelry Box and Artist Postcard Included
• Made in the USA

Hardware Details 

• Double Enforced Surgical Steel Posts and Black Silicone Enclosures.
• Nickel Free and Hypoallergenic

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* This is a Limited Edition Pre-Order, meaning that all designs will be made-to-order after our Pre-Order window closes(07/27/2024) or when we sell out, whichever comes first.*